There are no 9mm revolvers to consider. The S&W was discontinued and is expensive to buy because of its rarity. The moonclips on the taurus are crap. Its a shame because 9mm should be a decent snub cartridge but as it stands now you pick .38spl or .357 mag is you want a reasonable snub.

There are no 9mm revolvers to consider. The S&W was discontinued and is expensive to buy because of its rarity. The moonclips on the taurus are crap. Its a shame because 9mm should be a decent snub cartridge but as it stands now you pick .38spl or .357 mag is you want a reasonable snub.

I asked the same question on another forum. This is one of the answers I got. I'm going to steer clear of 9mm revolvers unless I can find a good deal on a S&W.

Trebor said:

There have been a variety of 9mm revolvers offered over the years. Like anything, some are better then others and some have problems.

There are some considerations with shooting 9mm through a revolver. A moon clip system several advantages. The pre-loaded clips allow quick reloading and positive ejection of empty cases as all the cases are ejected as a unit with the clip. A moon clip revolver can be loaded amazingly fast as there is no speedloader control to fumble with. Just toss the whole unit into the cylinder and close the gun. A really good revolver with a speedloader can load almost as fast though.

There are some disadvantages as well. If a moon clip gets bent or damaged, it can bind up the gun if you don't notice the damage before loading the revolver and closing the cylinder. Even in a case where the damage isn't enough to bind up the gun completely, a damaged or bent moon clip can cause erratic functioning. The clips are somewhat robust, but it is easy to damage a clip by stepping on it after you've ejected it from the gun. They can be bent when loading the cartridges or unloading the cases as well.

Headspace is critical with 9mm revolvers. The moon clips sets the proper headspace. Be aware though that not all clips, even those designed for the same gun or the same size of gun, are exacty the same thickness. The rim thickness of the cartridge also plays a role. Some cartridges won't run as well in some revolvers because of the cartridge rim thickness won't allow that particular type of round to headspace correctly. You have to test out your gun to learn what brand of ammo will work with the clips in your revolver.

The clips are also a PITA to load and unload. Even with "mooner" and "De-mooner" tools, they aren't as easy to load as speedloaders. Unlike a conventional revolver, most 9mm revolvers will not function without the clips as the clips provide proper headspace. That means you lose the ability to reload using single rounds of loose ammo.

The S&W 547 used a special ejecter star with spring loaded arms that eliminated the need for a moon clip. That 9mm revolver could be loaded singly or with speedloaders. It is out of production though and prices are going up. The specific design of the gun also made it have a heavier trigger pull then other guns of that same size.

Neither did I. They look pretty simple to use but if they're that much of a pain in the ass then I'm not going to fuck with them. Why bother with a revolver if you have to have a special clip to use it? You might as well just get a gun with a detachable mag.

jtl090179Oh I get it, yeah. He's the girl, then you're the OT Supporter

Neither did I. They look pretty simple to use but if they're that much of a pain in the ass then I'm not going to fuck with them. Why bother with a revolver if you have to have a special clip to use it? You might as well just get a gun with a detachable mag.

Your .38spl won't use moonclips most likely. The rim on revolver cartridges like .38spl or .357 mag is usually allowed to do the job. Rimless cartridges like 9mm though will generally have to be clipped to be used in a revolver. Some people will have their revolvers machined to allow moon clips for the speed of reloading, there is such a thing as rimmed 9mm brass, etc but for the most part the rim is the magic between moon clips and no clips for revolvers.

jtl090179Oh I get it, yeah. He's the girl, then you're the OT Supporter

Your .38spl won't use moonclips most likely. The rim on revolver cartridges like .38spl or .357 mag is usually allowed to do the job. Rimless cartridges like 9mm though will generally have to be clipped to be used in a revolver. Some people will have their revolvers machined to allow moon clips for the speed of reloading, there is such a thing as rimmed 9mm brass, etc but for the most part the rim is the magic between moon clips and no clips for revolvers.